Generally, a Personal Identification Card (PIC) system automatically releases a locked state of a vehicle when a user having an ID card approaches his or her vehicle and touches an outdoor handle. After entering the vehicle, the user can turn on the ignition of the engine by turning a knob formed at a steering column lock in the keyless PIC system vehicle.
The steering column lock used in the above PIC system is controlled by a controller that generates a control signal according to the proximity state of the ID card to the vehicle. The steering column lock includes an electromechanical mechanism, which automatically locks or releases the knob and the steering column.